Recent Recordings
I USED TO BE ANONYMOUS:
anon·y·mous
1 : not named or identified
< an anonymous author >
<they wish to remain anonymous >
2 : of unknown authorship or origin
3 : lacking individuality, distinction, or recognizability
Steve Elmer, Piano/Composer
The title for this CD came about as follows. A well-known jazz piano player liked the way I played but couldn’t understand why nobody knew who I was. He shared this thought with a mutual friend and said to her: “Steve Elmer is the most anonymous piano player in New York.” Well, I used to be anonymous.
I started off as a drummer. I also taught music. That was a long time ago. Then I did many other things that had nothing to do with music. Now I devote as much time as I can to playing the piano, composing, and making music that satisfies my soul.
FIRE DOWN BELOW:
This trio swings at all tempos. Their joy is palpable.
Jazz Improv Magazine
Hide, Shingo, and I started playing together in 2005. It was an instant musical match. We made our first CD in 2006. It was called “I Used To Be Anonymous.” Listeners enjoyed our music a lot and we received many wonderful reviews. As a result, we were invited to do a three-week, 2,500-mile tour of Japan in February and March of 2007. Now in 2008 we are releasing our second CD, “Fire Down Below,” and hope that you find it stimulating and provocative. We love making music together and are delighted to be able to share our most recent effort with you. Thanks for listening. Steve Elmer
Welcome
News
GIGS
Friday, February 5
6:00-10:00
Steve Elmer, Piano
Hide Tanaka, Bass
Shingo Okudaira, Drums
Garage Restaurant & Cafe
99 Seventh Avenue South, NYC
212-645-0600
http://www.garagerest.com/index.html
Sunday, February 7
2:00-3:30
Steve Elmer, Kurzweill SP76
Hide Tanaka, Bass
Shingo Okudaira, Drums
Hart Memorial Library
Shrub Oak, New York
http://www.yorktownlibrary.org/
Sunday, February 7
7:00-10:00
Steve Elmer, Piano
with The Creole Cookin' Jazz Band
Hot Music, Dixieland, and Swing
of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s
Arthur's Tavern
57 Grove Street, NYC
212-675-6879
www.arthurstavernnyc.com
Tuesday, February 9
8:30-11:00
Charlie Caranicas, Trumpet
Steve Elmer, Piano
Kelly Friesen, Bass
Pane e Vino
174 Smith Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 501-1010
www.panevinony.com
STEVE ELMER INTERVIEW
Jazz Improv Magazine (pp. 45-47)
Jazz Improv, November 2008
SPECIAL FREE MP3 DOWNLOADS
"Aaronology"
"Keep Your Eye On The Ball"
Steve Elmer
at All About Jazz
Thanks for visiting my website. I hope you find it stimulating and satisfying. You can read about how I got started in music and some of my experiences along the way. You can also listen to samples of my piano playing and my original compositions. You can read what other people have said about my music or you can simply look at some pictures of me and some of the musicians I play with now and have played with in the past.
Whatever choice you make, I’d love to know what you think. Just go over to the the CONTACT page and send me a message.
NEW: Gabriel Ricard's review and commentary on "Constant Lee," "Aaronology," and "Tanaka's Hideout" from "Fire Down Below." Scoll down to the end of the page of the following link to listen to all three tracks.
Three Songs by The Steve Elmer Trio
NEW: Steve Elmer Channel
(BeBopElmo) on YouTube
JAZZ IMPROV INTERVIEW: Please take a moment to read an interview I gave to Jazz Improv Magazine in the November 2008 issue. First take a look at the entire cover page. The interview starts on page 43 and is finished on page 45. Click here to download a free PDF copy. Jazz Improv, November 2008.
Also, don't forget to listen to some sample tracks from my new CD, "Fire Down Below," The Steve Elmer Trio. All you have to do is click on CD Baby.Com. If you have an I-Pod, you can also visit Apple iTunes at The Steve Elmer Trio at the Apple Store."
Reviewers have taken notice of "Fire Down Below." Here's an example:
"Forget the big names; Fire Down Below, the new album by pianist and composer Steve Elmer and his excellent trio, will knock your socks off. Monkishly playful in terms of style (especially in GA's Jambalaya), Elmer is unfailingly compelling when he solos. His band is also first rate. Hide Tanaka contributes a beautiful arco bass solo on Constant Lee, and Shingo Okudaira is a powerful driver on drums throughout. Ultimately what may be most impressive about Elmer is his compositional skill; these are great tunes and they just keep coming. The title cut is an absolute knock-out with a wonderfully catchy head, and then it's off to the races. With lightning speed and absolute harmonic precision, Elmer makes Big Brown seem like a turtle. When he slows down to a gorgeous ballad like Lasting Love, he is is equally impressive in his subtlety. And, most importantly, he is totally unpredictable. If you've never heard of Steve Elmer it's your loss."
RochesterCityNewspaper.com, August, 2008
Finally, thanks again for taking the time to visit. I appreciate it and look forward to seeing you again soon.
--Steve Elmer